Selector valve for water treating apparatus



J. F- SEBALD SELECTOR VALVE FOR WATER TREATING APPARATUS Filed April 20, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR.

JOSEPH SEBALD Patented July 21, 1953 SELECTOR VALVE FOR APPARA WATER TREATING TUS Joseph F. Sebald, Bloomfield, N. J., assignor ,to Worthington Corporation, Harrison,'N. 11., a corporation of Delaware Application April 20, 1950, Serial No. 156,998

4 Claims. (Cl. 137-595) This invention relates generally to water treating equipment, and more particularly to a multi-port selector valve for controlling from a single point, the functional operations of water treating equipment through their service, backwash, regeneration and rinse cycles.

There are a few multi-port selector valves now on the open market which employ liquid tight, unbalanced single seat valves. However, dimculties have developed in these multi-port selector valves where large pressure differentials exist due to the characteristic of slamming when clos ing which causes extreme water surging in the piping system.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel multi-port selector valve having a fluid dash pot cushion and tappet construction which prevents the valves from closing too quickly and thus prevents extreme water surging in the piping system of the water treatingapp-aratus connected to and controlled by the selector valve.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel multi-port selector valve wherein easy access is provided for replacement of movable parts or packing which may become worn, or damaged at any time.

With these and other objects in view, as may appear from the accompanying specification, the

invention consists of various features of construction and combination of parts, which will be first described in connection with the accom panying drawings, showing a selector valve for water treating apparatus of a preferred form embodying the invention, and the features forming the invention will be specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section showing the invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is-a horizontal section taken on line 33 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 shows a housing I having an upper portion 2 and a lower portion 3.

Upper portion 2 is substantially rectangular and inverted cup shape form in construction. It is provided with a flange 4 on its lower open end which is adapted to engage a corresponding flange 5 on the lower portion 3, in liquid tight relationship by suitable means such as gasket 6 and threaded member 1.

Substantially identical outlet chambers 8 are provided in the upper portion by two spaced horizontal partitions 9 and I0, and vertically spaced walls ll therebetween. It is understood that while only 5 outlet chambers are shown that any number and size of outlet chambers may be established by increasing or decreasing the,

size or the housing or chambers accordingly; The partitions 9 and iii, are spaced in the upper portion 2 of the housing so that there is an area and the uppermostside ll of the upper portion 2 of the housing I, all of which is clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings.

Inlet openi gs l8 are provided for the respective inlet chambers l2, l3, and It, and discharge outlets l9 are provided for the respective outlet chambers 8, which are threadably connected to suitable piping whereby fluid may be directed into and out of the housing I to the water treat ing apparatus for the various abovementioned operations.

In order to channel thefiow of liquid and direct the flow from the various inlet chambers i2, i3 and I4 to the various outlet chambers 8, valve ports 20 are provided for each of the outlet chamhers 8 in the upper partition H). Valve seats 20 are engaged by valve heads 2i formed integrally with elongated valve stems 22, which slidably enga e vertically disposed valve stem guides 23 formed in the lower partitionil, in the upperportion 2 of thehousing I as is clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings.

To prevent leakage along the valve stem during operation a suitable packing 24 is provided around the valve stem which is held in position at the lower portion of the valve stem guide 23,

by means of a packing nut 25 having the valve stem 22 passing therethrough and adapted to abut and hold the packing 2A in position by" threadably engaging the outer surface of the valve stem guide 23. i

A suitable cover member 276, as is shown in Figure 2, is provided for an opening 21, whereby access to the packing nut 25 and packing 24 is easily available in case access thereto or to other portions of the selector valve hereinafter described is desired.

Valve heads 2|. engaging valve seats .20 are normally held in a closed position. This is ac complished passively by the inlet water acting valve head 2| and a downwardly extending pro jection 3| formed on the lower surface-of the 1,

respective repair plugs 29 also lie in the axial line of the valve head 2 the spring member 28 being held in position by their projections 30 and 3|.

Repair plugs 29 are provided to allowea'sy access" to the movable valve heads or discs 2| for replacement thereof whenever necessary. A'll of the above being clearly shown in Figures 1 and-2 of the drawings.

In operation, the valves are normally held closed. They will be opened by suitable means as hereinafter described to allow fluid in the various main raw water, service and rinse, compartments to pass to the various outlet chambers whereby the operations of service, backwash and regeneration may be performed through this single multi-port selector control.

Fluid dash pot and tappet construction Intermediate the control means for opening the valves and the valve stems 22 is a fluid dash pot cushion and tappet construction which is mounted and formed in the lower housing 3.

Thus lower housing 3 which is also substantially rectangular and cup shaped, and which as hereinbefore mentioned is in fluid tight relationship with the upper housing by mean of flange 5, will form with that area in the upper portion 2 below the lower partition 5, a reservoir which contains hydraulic or other suitable type of lubrica'ting fluid-therein. The lo wer'housing 3-may be integrally formed or provided with a removable base plate 32 connected thereto in liquid tight relationship by means of gasket 33and threaded members 34, as is shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings.

The bulkhead shown at 35-in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, is a substantially thick ilathorizontallypositioned-member which may be formed integrally with the lower portion 3, in the plane of the flange 5, or may comprise a separately formed member adapted to be fixedly connected thereto by suitable means.

The upper surface of the bulkhead 35 is thus continuous with the flange, so that when the housing is assembled the bulkhead 35 willlie- 36 and (respectively at all times to equalize thepressures therein.

Depending downwardly from the lower surfaceof the bulkhead 35 are projections 39, whichare equal in number to the number of valve stems 22; all of the above'being clearly shown in Figures 1 and 3 of the drawings.

Fluiddash pots 35 are formed in the upper sur- 1 face of the bulkhead 35, comprising cylindrical chamber open to the upper reservoir 36; and spaced in the bulkhead 35, to provide a dash pot in the axial line of each of the valve stems 22. Tappet guides'M, extend from each of the dash pots 30 through each of the 'projections39;

whereby means are provided to slidably mount a tappet stem 42 therein. Connected to each tappet stem is a dash pot piston 53 which is slidable in the dash pot chamber 4!]. However, as clearly shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, each of the dash pot pistons d3 is mounted in close fit with the walls of the dash pot chamber 4! The dash pot pistons 43 will abut the ends of the valve tem 22, and the ends of the tappet stems 42 will extend downwardly past the lowermost'portion of the tappet guides into the lower reservoir 37 to contact their perspective cam members 44. The cam members 44 are connected in predetermined positions to means hereinafter described for imparting rotary movement thereto whereby predetermined tappet stems Mand pistons 43 will be moved upwardly thus forcing their respective valve stems 22 upwardly whereby the valve head 2| connected check valve chambers 46, which are larger in diameter than the check valve ports 45. A ball Valve 41 is mounted for free movement in each n of the check valve chambers 46 and will :be held therein by threaded valve guards 43, which threadably engage the end of the check valve chambers 55 at the point which communicates with the dash pot at its lowermost portion, as is clearly shown in Figure 3 of the drawings. Valve guards 58 are provided with communicating passages 39 which are of a lesser diameter than the ball valves 41, whereby means are provided to allow fluid to pass from the check valve chambers 86 to the dash pot chambers 40.

At the port where the check valve ports or passages |5 meet their respective check valve chambers 45, check valve seats 5|) are provided for each of the ball valves 41 so that fluid will move upwardly through the port or passage 45 to pass the ball valve 57 into the valve chamber 65, through the communicating passage 45 to the dash pot chamber GD. However, fluid can not flow downwardly from the check valve chamber 46 as the ball valve Ill will seat itself to check the flow to the check valve port or passage 45.

Means for imparting rotary movement to the cam members The cam members 44 are fixedly connected at various predetermined degrees about the circumference of the cam shaft 5| which is rotatably mounted in bearings 52 and 53. Bearing 52 is mounted in one side of the lower portions 3 in the wall thereof as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings. Bearing 53, which is identical in construction to bearing 52 is mounted, however, in a shaft repair plug 54 removably connected in liquid tight 2 relationship to the lower portion 3 of the hous- 65' ing by means of a gasket 55 and threaded member 55. The shaft repair plug 54 is provided to permit easy access to the lower reservoir 31 in the event that repairs are necessary or for some other reason.

Cam shaft 5| is rotated by worm gears 51 and 58 which may be any suitable type easily purchaseable on the open market. Worm gear 5? is fixedly connected to the cam shaft 5| and is driven or rotated by a second worm gear 58 which will-be fixedly connected to ahandle shaft 59 extendingthrough the lower portion 3 of the hous erated ;by saidcam,;:inlet valves in eachof saidingil wwhere'on theoutside-thereof itis fixedly connected for manual, operation to a handle member 63., All of which is clearlyshowndn Figures 1 and'3 of thedrawings.

The casing formed of the upper and lowerportions l and 3 is filled with oil to the level indicated at A in Figure 1, thus the dash pot mechanisms are submerged at all times.

In operation, the handle member 6!] is turned manually to some desired position causing the Worm gears 57 and 58 to rotate the cam shaft and the cam members M thereon to their predetermined positions.

This will cause the desired tappet members so be moved upwardly, which movement will in turn be exerted against the various valve stems 22 to open one or more of the valves as desired.

In moving the tappet members upwardly because of the close fit relationship of the dash pot piston 43, a slight suction is created in the respective dash pot chamber 49, out of which it is being lifted. Thi will cause fluid to be drawn upwardly through the check valve port or passage 45 into the dash pot chamber 46 as above described, thus providing a cushion of fluid in the dash pot chamber 45.! below the tappet head 43.

When the valve head 2| is moved upwardly, the spring member 28 will be compressed and thus when the handle member 60 is turned to a new position, instead of the valve heads 2| slamming closed on the valve ports 20, by reason of the expansion of the spring members 28, they will close relatively slowly as fluid cannot be forced past the ball valve 4'! of the respective dash pct 20 involved, and accordingly the pressure is dissipated on the fluid cushion which forces the fluid slowly outward past the close fit between the piston43 and the dashpot chamber 40 to commingle with the fluid in the upper reservoir 36. Equalizing ports 38 provide immediate means for equalizing the pressure or excess fluid between the upper and lower reservoirs.

In the event that it is desired to drain the fluid from the upper reservoir 36 and the lower reservoir 31, a discharge plug 6| is provided in the base member 32 therefor.

While one form of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific construction or arrangements of parts shown but that they may be widely modified within the invention defined by the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a multi-port selector valve for water treating systems, a housing, a plurality of outlet chambers in said housing, inlet chambers in said housing, a plurality of valves between said inlet and said outlet chambers including, valve ports between said chambers, valve heads for opening and closing said valve ports, and valve stems connected to said valve heads, resilient spring members for normally maintaining said valves in a closed position, a cam shaft rotatably mounted in said housing and provided with angularly disposed cams fixedly mounted thereon in the axial line of each of said valve stems, a support member in said housing intermediate the ends of said valve stems and said cam shaft and having dash pot chambers thereon disposed in the axial line of said valve stems, a fluid reservoir formed in said housing to coact with said dashpot chambers, an actuating member for each of said valves slidably mounted in said dashpot chamber and adapted to open predetermined valves when opdash pot chambers to allow-fluidfrom saidreservoir to flow therein onmovement of the member therein, and said actuating members and said dash pot chambers so constructed and arranged that the rate of return flow of fluid from said dash pot controls the speed [of closing of said chambers in said housing, inlet chambers in said housing, a plurality of valves between said inlet 7 and said outlet chambers including, valve ports between said chambers, valve heads for opening and closing said valve ports, and valve stems connected to said valve heads, resilient spring members for normally maintaining said valves in a closed position, a cam shaft rotatably mounted in said housing and provided with angularly disposed cams fixedly mounted thereon in the axial line of each of said valve stems, a support member in said housing intermediate the ends of said valve stems and said cam shaft and having dash pot chambers thereon disposed in the axial line of said valve stems, an actuating member for each of said valves slidably mounted on said support member including, a piston member slidably mounted in said dash pot chamber each having tappets fixedly connected thereto and extending downwardly for contact by its respective cam whereby movement of said cam shaft will open predetermined valves, a fluid reservoir formed in said housing, an inlet valve for each of said dash pot chambers to allow fluid from said reservoir to flow therein on movement of the piston, and return flow of said fluid from said dash pot chamber to said chamber about said piston member to control the seating of the valves when the cam actuating the piston is moved.

4. In a multi-port selector valve for water treating systems, a housing, a plurality of outlet chambers in said housing, inlet chambers in said housing, a plurality of valves between said inlet and said outlet chambers including, valve ports between said chambers, valve heads for opening and closing said valve ports, and valve stems connected to said valve heads, resilient spring members for normally maintaining said valves in a closed position, a cam shaft movably mounted in said housing and provided with angularly disposed cams fixedly mounted thereon in the axial line of said valve stems, a support member mounted in said housing intermediate the end of each of said valve stems and said cam shaft, actuating means slidably mounted on said support member in the axial line of its respective valve stem each including, a piston abutting each valve stem, 9, tappet stem fixedly connected to each piston and contacted by said cam to operate said actuating means, and a dash pot chamber formed on said support means in the axial line of said valve stem to slidably receive said piston in close fit relation therein, a fluid reservoir formed in said housing, inlet valves for said dash pot chambers to allow fluid to flow from saidreservoir into said dash pot chambers when said piston members move upwardly on actuation of said actuating means, and return flow of said fl'tii'd from-mid da'sfi ow chambefto regi'llet thespeedbfseating ofs'aidva-lves.

JOSEPH F.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number 

